News

'Free firewood at Shotover is barking mad' says wildlife group

First published
in News
by Pete Hughes, Reporter covering Abingdon and Wantage, South Oxford and Kennington. Call me on 01865 425431

A CONSERVATION group says wildlife is being “badly compromised” at an Oxford country park by a council-funded logs for labour scheme.

The Oxfordshire Woodfuel Programme sees volunteers clear up dead wood from the city council-owned Shotover Country Park, a nature reserve just outside Headington.

The Trust for Oxfordshire’s Environment (TOE2) says this is beneficial to biodiversity, and volunteers get to take home the wood to use as fuel.

But volunteer conservation group Shotover Wildlife says the cut wood is an important habitat for certain insects.

Chairman Ivan Wright said: “There appears to be no proper assessment of the conservation value of a woodland before trading firewood.”

The Shotover Site of Special Scientific Interest, and Brasenose Wood within the park, said Mr Wright, had rich and nationally significant fauna, with recent and historic records of threatened and vulnerable species.

He said he had discussed his concerns with Oxfordshire forestry charity the Sylva Foundation and TOE2 project manager Riki Therivel last year.

He agreed with both that there was a proportion of species-rich woodlands where the scheme would not be appropriate.

lozrob wrote:
Thanks to Ivan Wright, we now all know where to get our supply of firewood from! Sometimes an issue is best left out of the public limelight....

You really need to be told by a newspaper article that if you go to the woods you can find wood to burn?

[quote][p][bold]lozrob[/bold] wrote:
Thanks to Ivan Wright, we now all know where to get our supply of firewood from! Sometimes an issue is best left out of the public limelight....[/p][/quote]You really need to be told by a newspaper article that if you go to the woods you can find wood to burn?Floflo

Most people seem to take what they want to burn up to Shotover. For example, cars, beds, sofas etc etc - even stuff that will not burn like Stones, masonry, bricks and more...

If the wood is left there, it just encourages more people to illegally dump things there, not that people need any encouragement!

Most people seem to take what they want to burn up to Shotover. For example, cars, beds, sofas etc etc - even stuff that will not burn like Stones, masonry, bricks and more...
If the wood is left there, it just encourages more people to illegally dump things there, not that people need any encouragement!angelox99

The City Council is slowly destroying this beautiful Nature reserve for a profit making venture..Oak trees are also being felled and oak furniture is very costly....I have enjoyed walking here for decades and can see the destruction being caused by the COMMERCIAL wood fuel programme....I complained to the Forestry commission and they insisted that they did not BACK the logging trees for wood fuel ..so the woodfuel website is fallacious as it alleges it is backed by the Forestry commission..the other bodies cited on the website also denied backing the programme when I rang to complain..poor Ivan Wright, he is a lovely soul..much wronged by the City Council on conservation matters.. he has suffered much abuse when making legitimate complaints

The City Council is slowly destroying this beautiful Nature reserve for a profit making venture..Oak trees are also being felled and oak furniture is very costly....I have enjoyed walking here for decades and can see the destruction being caused by the COMMERCIAL wood fuel programme....I complained to the Forestry commission and they insisted that they did not BACK the logging trees for wood fuel ..so the woodfuel website is fallacious as it alleges it is backed by the Forestry commission..the other bodies cited on the website also denied backing the programme when I rang to complain..poor Ivan Wright, he is a lovely soul..much wronged by the City Council on conservation matters.. he has suffered much abuse when making legitimate complaintsMerlinSilver

The City Council is slowly destroying this beautiful Nature reserve..I have enjoyed walking here for decades and can see the destruction being caused by the COMMERCIAL wood fuel programme....I complained to the Forestry commission and they insisted that they did not BACK the logging trees for wood fuel ..so the woodfuel website is fallacious

The City Council is slowly destroying this beautiful Nature reserve..I have enjoyed walking here for decades and can see the destruction being caused by the COMMERCIAL wood fuel programme....I complained to the Forestry commission and they insisted that they did not BACK the logging trees for wood fuel ..so the woodfuel website is fallaciousMerlinSilver

Shotover has been actively and commercially managed for centuries. It's only in the last several decades that it's largely been left to it's own devices which has meant that many areas have become overgrown with scrub needing the attentions of volunteer groups and the park rangers. In 1363 the going-rate for grazing your pig on fallen acorns was 1/6 pence per pig. People were also charged for collecting dry wood and fallen timber to use as firewood. In 1629 shipwrights visited the forest and earmarked 27,000 trees as being "the best in the kingdom for shipping, both for hardness and toughness". Those straight lines of mature oaks still clearly visible didn't arrange themselves!

As for the previous comment about too many groups involved... (several of whose leaders have, at best a 'difficult' relationship)... nail...head!

Shotover has been actively and commercially managed for centuries. It's only in the last several decades that it's largely been left to it's own devices which has meant that many areas have become overgrown with scrub needing the attentions of volunteer groups and the park rangers. In 1363 the going-rate for grazing your pig on fallen acorns was 1/6 pence per pig. People were also charged for collecting dry wood and fallen timber to use as firewood. In 1629 shipwrights visited the forest and earmarked 27,000 trees as being "the best in the kingdom for shipping, both for hardness and toughness". Those straight lines of mature oaks still clearly visible didn't arrange themselves!
As for the previous comment about too many groups involved... (several of whose leaders have, at best a 'difficult' relationship)... nail...head!Shaun the Faun

The New Forest has hundreds of megawatts of green energy lying about as fallen trees and "Natural England" forbids its use because it's a habitat for insects. The insects will see us out on this planet. They are not an endangered species. But the useless windmills are turning our countryside into an ugly mess. For goodness sake! Let us use green energy, not faff about.

The New Forest has hundreds of megawatts of green energy lying about as fallen trees and "Natural England" forbids its use because it's a habitat for insects. The insects will see us out on this planet. They are not an endangered species. But the useless windmills are turning our countryside into an ugly mess. For goodness sake! Let us use green energy, not faff about.Lord Palmerstone

For the first and only time I'm at one with Lord Palmerstone. Coppiced wood IS green energy, no more or less so than wind farms. Keep a corner of the wood for insects if you will. Insects are important of course, but during a hot, wet summer I think you'll find their populations can be very healthy indeed!

As well as cheap fuel for local people, this scheme can aid clearing areas that would otherwise be overgrown, can reduce carbon emissions, and can promote free healthy, worthwhile, outdoor physical activity for young and old alike - supporting their mental health. This sounds like a win-win-win to me!

For the first and only time I'm at one with Lord Palmerstone. Coppiced wood IS green energy, no more or less so than wind farms. Keep a corner of the wood for insects if you will. Insects are important of course, but during a hot, wet summer I think you'll find their populations can be very healthy indeed!
As well as cheap fuel for local people, this scheme can aid clearing areas that would otherwise be overgrown, can reduce carbon emissions, and can promote free healthy, worthwhile, outdoor physical activity for young and old alike - supporting their mental health. This sounds like a win-win-win to me!King Joke